Apple exec claims Samsung ‘went and copied the iPhone’

With the longstanding legal battle between the two companies hitting fever pitch, Apple’s Schiller has suggested that the first Samsung Galaxy S handset was a direct copy of the iPhone and caused consumers to question Apple’s ‘innovation and design skills’.

As a retrial between Apple and Samsung continues over the Korean manufacturer’s claimed infringement on its Cupertino-based rival’s patent and trademark holdings, Schiller has laid the boot into Samsung, suggesting its copying made it harder to sell iPhone and iPad devices.

“They went and copied the iPhone” Schiller told Judge Lucy Koh during his testimony in California. He added that he had been left “quite shocked” after the original Samsung Galaxy S was unveiled.

Detailing the damages he believes Samsung’s claimed infringements had on Apple, Schiller stated: “It weakens the view that the world has for Apple. He added that the copying made consumers “question our innovation and design skills in a way that people never used to.”

Further looking to highlight his point, upon being shown a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in court Schiller is reported to have said: “I don’t know which Samsung devices are allowed to copy our devices and which ones aren’t. It looks like an iPad.”

Despite courts last August ordering Samsung to pay $1.05 billion (£650m) in damages to Apple, a figure later lowered, Apple has taken its rival back to court, seeking a higher fee. While Samsung believes it should pay just $52 million in damages, Apple is seeking a settlement closer to $380 million.

Defending its own corner, Samsung’s legal representatives have hit out at the iMac and iPod touch maker, stating “Apple doesn’t own a patent on a product being beautiful or sexy. Apple doesn’t own the right to preclude the design of this hardware.”